Mattress protector



vMay11,1943. N 2,319,150

MATTRESS PROTEC TOR I Filed May 9, 19 40 E ij IIu WT f /b /4 f 42 1 19. 5, w I 3 4 y /'7 Patented May 11, 1943 UNETE STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bed clothing and mattresses and more particularly to novel mattress protectors.

It is well known that mattresses which are more comfortable are usually of a soft and porous nature so that they possess the disadvantage of being difficult t properlyclean. This situation is all the more aggravated in connection with mattresses used for infants and mattresses or other bed pads used in hospitals. In order to avoid undesirable'soiling of the mattress itself, it has been known to cover the mattress with a water-proof protective sheet, and while various different make-shift methods for keeping the protector in place such as pinning have been utilized in the past, these have been found extremely unsatisfactory. Any means for this purpose utilizing sharp metal objects is of course dangerous and where the means for detachably securing the mattress protector to the mattress is not of an elastic or resilient nature, the pro tector will wrinkle or crease under the patient or bed occupant, resulting in discomfort, and usually causing the weakening of the material of which themattress protector is made. This is especially so in the case of coated fabrics in which the water-proof coating is frequently dislodged by sharp creasing with pressure.

Among the objects of the present invention is the-provision of a mattress protector which while it performs all the desirable functions of a mattress protector in keeping the mattress clean and protecting it from liquids, still provides a smooth surface upon which the bed occupant may rest in comfort.

Another object herein lies in the provision of mattress protecting structure which by reason of the nature thereof permits of adequate cleansing.- In accordance with the present invention mattress protectors may-be washed without any unusual precautions being taken in the washing thereof.

Another object of the present invention lies in the provision of a mattress protector in which there is a novel combination of coated or impregnated planar material which is disposed beneath the bed occupant with other planar material being more suited to withstand the abrasion to which certain of the parts of the mattress protector are subjected.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a mattress protecting structure. which while convenientlydetachably attached, to the mattress is nevertheless resilientlymaintained in association therewith so thatthe. samenmayshiftto conform;

to changes in shape of the mattress caused either by a shifting of the weight of the bed occupant or by reason of the association of the mattress with certain adjustable spring structures such as are found in hospital beds.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a mattress protector having the above described desirable qualities, yet which by reason of the novel arrangement and integration of the parts thereof permits of low-cost, large-scale production; certain of the parts being reenforced without an increase in material or labor.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a materal part hereof, similar reference, characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a first embodiment of the present invention in place upon a mattress. Certain of the parts are broken away for purposes of clarity.

Figure 2 is a schematic side elevational view as might be seen from the right side of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic bottom plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail elevational view showing the manner in which the upper end of the retainer means is integrated with the main protector element.

Figure 5 is a sectional view as seen from the plane 5-5 on Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a rear portion of the mattress protector as seen from the plane 66 on Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a view in perspective showing a modification of the invention.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged detail View showing the modified structure of Figure 7.

Turning now to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the mattress protector generally indicated by numeral Hi includes a main protector element l l and auxiliary protector elements l2 and it; and a plurality of retainer means generally indicated by numeral l5 and specifically bearing numerals l6, l1, l3 and IS. The mattress shown in the drawing for the purpose of illustrating the use of the present invention, is indicated generally by numeral I4.

The main protector element H is preferably composed of a thin flexible water-proof sheet. Applicant has foundin practice that a sheetcomposed of a textile fabric woven of rayon threads and impregnated with a flexible regenerated cellulose material is very effective for this purpose. The protector element III will of course have the general size and configuration thereof governed by the size of the mattress with which it is to be used, although by reason of the novel construction of the retainer element, the present mattress protector may be used to cover mattresses which vary in size within a certain range. The ends or shorter edges 20 and 2| of the main protector element II are suitably secured to the upper edges 22 and 23 of the auxiliary protectorj elements in any suitable manner, but preferably by rows of stitches 24 and 25.

The longitudinal edges of the now connected main protector element and the auxiliary elements I2 and I3 are each turned inwardly to form the hems 26 and 21. The hems thus formed are provided with slits at the folded portions of the hems, said slits being of a width substantially equal to the width .of each of the retainer means I5. The upper ends of each of the retainer means I5 are inserted through said slits and when a double row of stitches is placed in said hem, the said stitches not only secure the hem in place, but also adequately secure the upper ends of said retaining means. The double rows of stitching just referred to are best seen in Figures 1 and a and are indicated by numerals 28 and 29. The stitches 28 and 29 may be expeditiously put in place in a single operation by means of a twoneedle sewing machine, and the two rows of stitches 28 and 29 preferably extend the entire length of the previously combined main protector element and auxiliary elements.

The lower ends of each of the retainer means I5 are secured to the free edges 30 and 3| of the auxiliary protector elements I2 and I3 respectively. The edges of said auxiliary protector elehems 26 and 27, and 32 and 33, the lower ends of the retainer means I5 are doubly reenforced at the overlapping of said hems which occurs at the points 40 to 43 inclusive, at which there are four' thicknesses of the material of which the auxiliary protector elements are composed' The auxiliary protector elements are preferably composed of woven textile material which pos-' sesses high resistance to abrasion as compared to the main protector element II. This woven textile material is preferably of a relatively soft and flexible nature which allows the auxiliary protector elements to conform properly to the configuration of the mattress adjacent thereto, and also permits the said auxiliary protector elements to conform to and move over the bed spring without becoming damaged.

The retainer means I5 are composed of any suitable resilient material as for example elastic tape, and are capable of stretching longitudinally thereof, this stretching occurring vertically when the protector is in place upon the mattress as seen in Figure 1. The retainer means I5 are of suitable length so that when the mattress protector III is placed upon a mattress for use with which it has been designed, the retainer means I5 will exert a sufficient contractive force to and I3 in proper frictional engagement with the under surface 45 of the mattress I4. The length of the retainer means will thus be governed by the thickness of the mattress and its compressibility.

The operation of the device herein is substantially as follows: In order to place the mattress protector I0 upon the mattress I4, one end thereof, as for example, the end having the seam 25, is slipped over the end of the mattress. The retainer means I! and I9 being longitudinally extended sufliciently to allow the end 50 of the mattress to be inserted between the opposite portions of the main protector element II and the auxiliary protector element I3. The opposite end of the protector element It] is now passed over the end of the mattress I4 and again the retainer means I6 and I8 are sufiiciently extended to allow the auxiliary protector element I2 to pass beneath the lower surface of the end of the mattress 60.

When the mattress protector has been properly placed in association with the mattress, the bed may be made in the usual way by covering the mattress with the usual bed sheets. Vertical pressure placed upon the main protector element II and the portions of the mattress I4 which normally carry the body load of a bed occupant, will cause a certain amount of distortion in the man protector element II as it conforms to a corresponding distortion in the mattress I4. Tension transversely of the main protector element I I will be compensated for directly by a slight movement of the auxiliary protector elements I2 and I3 up around the end walls of the ends 50 and 60 of the mattress I4. Since the auxiliary protector elements I2 and I3 may not move without displacing the retainer means I5, the said retainer means will also extend themselves to compensate for the last described movement of the auxiliary protector elements I2 and I3.

In accordance with the present invention when the mattress protector I0 is in place, the main protector element is always in a taut and smooth condition. When the patient or bed occupant is not lying upon the main protector element, by reason of the action of the retainer means, the main protector element will be drawn into a smooth and flat condition. This characteristic of the present mattress protector is especially useful when the mattress protector is used on a mattress which is placed upona hospital bed of the type in which the spring platform thereof may be folded, elevated or depressed to various different positions.

, For example, when a hospital bed has the head portion of the spring platform thereof raised so that the patient may be placed in a comparatively seated position, there would normally be a tendency for the mattress protector to slide will pull away from the mattress. In accordance with the present invention however, the retainer means adjacent the head portion of the mattress permits the mattress protector to shift slightly to conform to the altered configuration of the imattress, y'et thelsaid retaining means causesa constant tension on the mattress protector which in turn results in a smooth condition of the mattress protector both while the mattress is in a tilted position and after the mattress is returned to the normal flat horizontal position thereof.'

It will be noted also in connection with the present invention that the auxiliary protector elements are composed of relatively tough textile material so that said auxiliary protector elements are not easily abraided by the relatively rough surface of the spring platform of the bed upon which they rest. It has been found by the applicant that the water-proof sheeting of which the main protector element is composed is best constructed of a relatively thin material which while it may have the desirable water-proof qualities does notpossess as much abrasive resistant qualities as is desirable. By the use of a different material for the auxiliary protector elements, the most desirable functions of each of the parts may thus be obtained.

Turning now to the modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, it will be seen that additional secondary retaining means are provided which are attached to the outer longitudinal edges of the main protector element indicated by numeral 1 I. Other parts are correspondingly numbered with primed numerals so that further description thereof will not be necessary.

The secondary retainer -means, generally indicated by numeral I5 are preferably of a construction similar to the retainer means I5 previously described and are preferably located at the midpoint along each of the longitudinal side edges of the main protector element H. The secondary retainer means at the lower ends thereof instead of being attached to the outer corners of the auxiliary protector elements, are detachably attached to some part of the bed or spring frame N10. The lower ends lill of the secondary retainer means I5 may be provided with the snap fastener elements including the female snap fastener element H32 and the male fastener element I03. It is thus a simple matter to detachably attach the lower ends of the secondary retainer means it? to the bed frame In ordinary use, it has been found that the invention does not require the use of the secondary retainer means, but in the case of extremely long beds or other unusual bed structure the use of the secondary retainer means may be desirable.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a mattress protector, for use with a mattress, comprising: a main protector element composed of a thin flexible substantially inelastic and waterproof sheet; a pair of auxiliary protector elements connected to the ends of the main protector element, said auxiliary protector elements being composed of woven textile materialbeing substantially inelastic and having high resistance to abrasion; the combined length of the two auxiliary protector elements and the main protector element being longer than the length of said mattress; the auxiliary protector elements being folded under the mattress; the two longitudinal edges of the main protector element and the auxiliary protector elements being turned inwardly upon themselves to form edge hems; and a plurality of elastic retainer means connecting the four-longitudinal edges of the auxiliary protector elements to the portions of the said hems on the main protector element lying thereabove.

2. "As a new article of manufacture, a mattress protector for use with a mattress on a bed frame comprising: a} main protector element composed of a thin flexible substantially inelastic waterproof sheet; a pair of auxiliary protector elements connected to the ends of the main protector element, said auxiliary protector elements being composed of woven textile material being substantiallyinelastic and having high resistance to abrasion; the combined length of the two auxiliary protector elements and the main protector element being longer than the length of said mattress; the auxiliary protector elements being folded under the mattress; the two longitudinal edges of the main protector element and the auxiliary protector elements being turned inwardly upon themselves to form edge hems; a plurality of elastic retainer means connecting the four longitudinal edges of the auxiliary protector elements to the portions of the said hems on the main protector element lying thereabove; and secondary retainer means attached to the 1ongitudinal side edges of the main protector element, said secondary retainer means being in tape form having a pair of detachable interengaging fastener elements whereby the secondary means may be wrapped about the bed frame and detachably secured to itself.

ISADORE MINK. 

